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PTC minutes_ 11.9.21 CITY OF BEVERLY PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES BOARD: Parking and Traffic Commission SUBCOMMITTEE: None LOCATION: Virtual meeting DATE: November 9, 2021 BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Richard Benevento (Chair), Darlene Wynne (Vice Chair), Michael Collins, George Binns, Capt Ryan Laracy, Sgt Michael Henebury, Richard Vincent BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Jonathan Salt OTHERS PRESENT: Todd Rotondo, Ward I councilor; Dan Brosnan RECORDER: Sharlyne Woodbury Benevento chairs and opens the meeting at 8:30 am. This is a virtual meeting with special meeting format as required to honor Governor Baker's State of Emergency declared due to the national crisis of COVID-19. 1. Approval of Minutes Binns moves approve the October 5, 2021 minutes as presented. Wynne seconds. The motion carries 7- 1-0. Henebury abstains. Binns moves to approve September 14, 2021 minutes as presented. Discussion on the motion. Wynne has edits. Motion amended. Binns moves to approve the minutes as amended by Wynne. Wynne seconds. The motion carries 7-1-0. Henebury abstains. 2. Continued Discussion: Amend Ordinance §270-41 by adding parking prohibited at all times on west side of Elliot Street from 485 to Beverly/Danvers city line—requested by Ward 1 Councilor Todd Rotondo Rotondo returns to the commission for further discussion. Members individually performed a site walk with the commission as a group concluding their jurisdiction on the matter is limited due to the city lines and the business operating in Danvers correctly. Henebury and Rotondo met for a joint site walk. Henebury recaps his site walk with Rotondo. Members main point of concern is to not create any future issues with their present solution recommendations. Collins provides the option: 1) do nothing; 2) make the westbound side no parking and create a bike lane; or 3) create both west and east bound bike lanes the entire length of Elliot Street; which is supported by the mayor as part of the master plan. Members parley adding single and dual bike lanes the length of Elliot Street. Lozada brings up the Christmas tree stand and other small businesses who may need street parking for customers. Lozada does not advocate for dual bike lanes at this time. Laracy supports dual bike lanes. Binns questions exactly where the city line is. He also notes there's a multi-family member home with a lot of on-street parking for the residents. Binns supports bike lanes. Rotondo provides an update on the service station and the issue. He spoke with the owner. The owner is receptive and cognitive of the issue. He is trying to move the cars and not park them on the westbound side. The residents are now the main occupants of parking on the westbound side. The service station Parking and Traffic Commission November 9,2021 Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 4 owner is not interested in using the church parking lot. The owner is looking to cut back business and use his lot at New Bridge Variety deli. Rotondo notes the residents are looking for a quick solution now. Several residents have teenagers in the near future getting ready to drive and acquire their licenses.The residents would like the safety concerns addressed before their children are active new drivers. Benevento confirms with Rotondo,the residents understand once parking is restricted it is for all, residents included. Members discuss the procedural aspect of amending the ordinance. Henebury suggests amending the current ordinance. Anything that exists for bike lanes and parking. Wynne wonders if this is a matter of better signage. Henebury confirmed despite cars parked well outside of 20 feet of the intersection, there is still a site issue with residents trying to pull out onto the road. Collins confirms to Rotondo the signage can be installed by December. Collins does not know if the city has as a policy or ordinance a history of using bike lanes for restrictive parking. Collins discusses the language/signage for no parking in bike lanes. Collins advises involvement with the city solicitor's office. Rotondo informs the commission the ordinance amendment has to go before the council for 3 readings. Collins notes the commission schedule cannot be driven by the teen's schedule to acquire driver's licenses. Collins suggests the police chief putting in a 30-day temporary ordinance. Benevento makes the resolution suggestions.Two buffered bike lanes with amendments to the current or new ordinance.The ordinance amendment is where they need the solicitor's office to review and approve. Members would like consistency with the ordinance. Wynne notes the commission can review the ordinance amendment during the 3-hearing process or does it need to be done beforehand. Benevento recommends reviewing concurrently. There being no additional comments or discussion. Wynne moves to recommend to the Beverly City Council that buffered bike lanes are installed on both sides of Elliot Street from the Danvers city line to Echo Avenue; in accordance to the MASSDOT guidelines; upon adoption of the ordinance or changes, the council refers back to the commission for review as well as any future amendments. Discussion on the motion. Collins does not want the commission's review to hold up the ordinance process. Henebury notes Rotondo can cross reference the ordinances. Members further discuss the ordinance processes of review. Discussion concludes. Vincent seconds the motion.The motion carries 8-0. 3. Discussion: Knowlton Street between Cabot and Dane Streets Wynne has requests from residents and councilor Rand to make this section a one-way street. Issue seems to be parking. Dual traffic lanes are a safety issue. Wynne discusses the curb bump-outs due to recent sidewalk/street construction. Collins notes that is a tight area. It's heavily used in both directions. Collins notes it is narrow but does not recommend changing to a one -ay street. Wynne is not aware of any change in traffic patterns. Benevento confirms with Laracy if there are any emergency vehicle access issues. Henebury does not oppose making that one way, but he does also point out the consequences of changing the current set up. Members discuss the design of the area. There being no additional comments; no further action required at this time. 4. General Business Parking and Traffic Commission November 9,2021 Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 4 a. Bicycle parking facilities on Cabot and Rantoul Streets Wynne discusses the popular sites for installation. Mentions locations like Atomic Cafe and Baptist church. Wynne discusses the color schemes and rack type. She notes the city are reviewing quotes from different vendors looking at all options. Binns expresses concerns for the racks interfering with sidewalk space after installation. It is a different spatial awareness after the bikes are racked vs empty racks. Laracy agrees with Binns noting the racks should not block or inhibit ADA access points or entryways. Lozada also agrees and asks if there is a current bike census for the city. Brosnan weighs in this is an ongoing point of discussion. Lozada recommends including the members with disabilities commission and independent living to be mindful of the bike racks and how they impact their sidewalk usage. There being no additional comments; no further action required at this time. b. Bike parking ordinance Wynne updates the commission on the ordinances and language to review for the city. Wynne discusses comparable communities of interest citing Portsmouth and Watertown as examples. Watertown has a simple ordinance. Wynne will continue to review and work on these language pieces. Brosnan notes there is state law to reference and review. Benevento inquires what the violations for no parking are written under. Henebury confirms it is under local ordinance not state. The engineering department has staff downtown to enforce parking violations. It is a local ordinance with $50 fine associated for parking in a bike lane. There being no additional comments; no further action required at this time. c. North shore crossing Benevento provides the updates for the commission.They wanted the traffic counts in before the holiday season starts. Benevento and Wynne review the Barnett project for their service and loading plan noting they have been reluctant to comply with any requests for follow up. Benevento and Wynne have tried unsuccessfully to follow up. Emails sent by both informs the applicant the matter will be taken under review if the commission does not see a loading plan. Benevento opines on the commission's authoritative ability to create restrictions on plans with follow up consequences. Other city boards are experiencing the same issues for lack of post development follow up as required by the applicants. Benevento would like to involve the city solicitor as part of an ongoing discussion to rectify the restrictions and follow up requirements city boards attach to project development plans. There being no additional comments; no further action required at this time. d. Meetings Benevento inquires about in person meetings. Wynne notes there has been no further discussion about in person meetings. The decision to meet in person is at the discretion per board. Wynne notes the hybrid meetings are less desirable. Any meeting in city hall requires masks. Benevento asks if the commission has a preference. Members appreciate where the pandemic science is at and are comfortable with the virtual set up. Members also agree the hybrid meeting does not work well. Members like sharing their screens and adjusting information to scale as necessary. e. Other Binns has two items for discussion. First,to address recent city whispers of making Water Street a one- way street. Members note this is not true, simply a rumor. Second, Binns discusses electric bikes in the Parking and Traffic Commission November 9,2021 Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 4 bike lanes. Would like to know if the city has considered this and what are the thoughts about it. Benevento acknowledges many cities and town are having several discussions involving the review of safety concerns for electric bikes. Benevento also suggests deferring to the BBC. Brosnan provides the updates.The state is looking at standardizing electric bike types, speed and where to group them.There is a lot of concern for bike paths and off roads with electric bikes.There is motion at the state level. Brosnan does recommend low powered bikes that allow people to get to their destination, particularly if there is a handicap. Higher power velocity bikes are to be considered. Benevento notes this is a discussion in progress with more to come. Sidebar: Vincent inquires if the commission ever discussed the cut through between Bridge Street and Eastern Avenue, pointing out the cut thru has obstructed street view. Benevento notes the residents have not brought it to the commission's attention. Vincent happens to use this cut through a lot and thinks it might merit discussion in the future. There being no additional comments; no further action required at this time. 5. Adjournment Vincent moves to adjourn. Binns seconds.The motion carries 8-0. Meeting adjourned 10:00 a.m. Next meeting scheduled for 12.7.21.